Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day and neither can you expect to build your social media presence "in a day." I know it's a cliché, but there are reasons that we continue to use some clichés, they're accurate and they get points across in ways that people quickly grasp and relate to. It's easy to underestimate the time that goes into building a social presence and attracting an audience.  You may feel like no one is listening and are ready to scale back your social media strategy or quit altogether.  Don't do it.  Just remember it's not about getting more followers, re-tweets and likes, it's about building relationships that rely on your expertise.  So of course it is about the tactics, but the real value is a lot more than that. 

The single most important thing you should concentrate on is trust!  Trust is the Holy Grail.  It's what you're seeking.  It's why people care about you and your products and company.  It's why it must be the basis of all your social marketing. Make no mistake, it's really hard to build trust and as our moms and dads taught us, it can be lost in an instant.  So don't be overwhelmed by the ever-changing trends in social media. Don't struggle with building an audience for your social presence.  Don't feel blindsided every time Facebook decides to make a change to their layout.  Just relax a little, put a plan in place with a commitment to providing consistent and truthful information that you have researched enough to know that your audience cares about and have fun while building the right relationships.

We understand how frustrating this can be, but I believe (and MANY studies have shown,) that used correctly Facebook is an excellent way to get in front of your audience.  Put simply, if you are not using Facebook properly, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to attract leads, followers, and potential business.  Do it wrong, well I don't have enough space here to write about that. So here's the three things you must do.  Just three.        

1. Think deep. Think beyond your probably ill-defined mission statement. Think about what you believe in. Think about why people believe in you and what you have to offer. Take a stance and live and talk about it. It's refreshing and worthwhile.
2. Define who you are by looking at who you aren't.  Take a stand.  By aligning yourself with a specific set of beliefs or opinions you can be ok with having a personal opinion that you share about "the other people;" those who don't think, act or believe the way you do. This is where you let attitude come through. It's authentic. It's personal. Those are things people care about.
3.  And lastly, do less.  Yep, do less.  Make sure you look at your resources and focus on the essentials.  Your website.  Your blog. Your email marketing. Own the spaces in your realm. Your sphere of influence. Find out where you are getting the most bang for your buck.  Make every hour you spend produce a worthwhile result or stop. Most companies don't have enough time, money or staff to make the returns worth the cost of participating in more than two or three social networks.  Don't let activities eat up your time and energy without giving you the returns you need.

Most of all focus on the fact that your goal is to stand out, not fit in. So be careful and don't spread yourself too thin.  Instead go in fewer places but go deep.  This means you'll create a richer and more fulfilling experience for yourself which will resonate with your clients and customers.  I promise.  Will you try it?

If you would like to join our blog discussion click here  or I welcome your feedback through email.